These essays are among the deepest and most beautifully written that I’ve come across. They are also some of the most complicated I’ve ever read. The density and complexity reminded me of philosophy texts I read in college. This collection is definitely intended to be read slowly and thoughtfully instead of being rushed through. Marilynne Robinson is perhaps the most astoundingly intelligent person whose thoughts I’ve ever been privileged to read. What she has to say about patriotism and government; the true differences between capitalism and socialism; the misunderstanding of certain religious terms and how that misunderstanding impacts the practice of faith; the dangers of unnecessary competition on a global scale, are so deep that they’re difficult to wrap the mind around. However, I do have to admit that I felt just a bit hoodwinked by the title. I love books about what books mean to others, and that's what I was expecting. I think I would have enjoyed this collection far more had I not felt that I was floundering in its depths, but I have so much respect for Robinson as an author and an intellectual. I look forward trying her fiction, though I have to confess that I’m now very intimated by the thought.

Ultimately, this just wasn't the book for me.